India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
Mumbai, Sep 2 (PTI) Maharashtra minister Pankaja Munde has said the state government must ensure the existing reservation benefits of various communities are not disturbed while addressing the demand for quota by Marathas. Activist Manoj Jarange has been leading the Maratha community's demand for a 10 per cent reservation under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) grouping and staging an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai to press for it. Some OBC leaders have, however, objected to it. Jarange wants Marathas to be recognised as Kunbis -- an agrarian caste included in the Other Backward Classes category -- which will make them eligible for reservation in government jobs and education, though OBC leaders are opposed to it. "The groups that were identified and given reservation benefits on the basis of social backwardness remain backward even today. Their quota cannot be touched while extending similar benefits to the Maratha community," Munde told a regional news channel on Monday. She also emphasised that no one should be issued OBC certificates illegally. The minister said it was the duty of the state to bring backward sections into the mainstream. "Whoever is backward in the state, the government must support them for their progress. The core of the reservation demand is not only economic backwardness but also social backwardness," she added. Munde said access to good education and employment opportunities can uplift lives and reduce the emphasis on caste identity. "Nothing will be more beautiful than this," she said. Notably, state minister Chhagan Bhujbal has warned of massive protests by members of the OBC communities if any attempt is made to disturb their existing reservation for accommodating Marathas. PTI ND GK
Jalna, December 17: Activist Manoj Jarange on Tuesday announced that he would launch an indefinite fast on January 25, 2025, to press for the Maratha community's demands, including reservation in jobs and education under the OBC category. Addressing the media at Antarwali Sarthi village in Jalna, Jarange urged members of the Maratha community to gather in large numbers at the protest site. "No one should stay at home. Come to Antarwali Sarthi, and let us show our collective strength," he said. The 42-year-old activist has been demanding the implementation of a draft notification that recognis ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) The Population Fund of India on Thursday welcomed the 16th Census and called for "strong safeguards" to ensure that the count is "inclusive, accurate, and equity-focused." The Population Census-2027 with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027 with the reference date of October 1, 2026, in snow-bound areas like Ladakh and on March 1, 2027, in the rest of the country. It has been decided to conduct the census in two phases, along with the enumeration of castes, the Union Home Ministry announced on Wednesday. "The Population Foundation of India welcomes the announc ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
Rajgir (Bihar), Jun 6 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar over the law and order situation, alleging that the state has turned into "the crime capital of India". Addressing the 'Samvidhan Suraksha Sammelan' in Nalanda's Rajgir, Gandhi also took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "remaining silent" on US President Donald Trump's claims of brokering peace between India and Pakistan during the military conflict. "Bihar, once considered the land of peace and justice, has now turned into the crime capital of India," the former ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Jun 6 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday said BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao should face an inquiry by the judicial commission on the Kaleshwaram project instead of attacking the Congress government. Addressing a public meeting after attending various development programmes in Yadadri-Bhuvanagri district, he referred to the judicial panel summoning KCR and the BRS criticising the state government on the matter. Also Read | Water Cut in Pune: Supply Suspended in South Pune on June 12 Due to Maintenance Work; Check Affected Areas. The judicial commission is ...Read More >
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has raised concern over terminally ill prisoners languishing in Maharashtra's jails and asked the state govt to consider proper implementation of an advisory on grant of medical bail or to place them in house arrest. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan on Monday said they visited the Yerwada central prison in Pune on Sunday and met with prisoners, particularly women inmates, and inspected the condition there. The bench referred to a ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday demanded an immediate apology from the Opposition Congress over the remarks of party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on President Droupadi Murmu and said those were insults for the people of Odisha and the Santal community also. Majhi expressed his opinion on the ongoing debate over the alleged disrespect to the country's first tribal woman President through a long post on X. "Sonia Gandhi's comment, 'Poor lady President Murmu got tired at the end,' and Rahul Gandhi's 'boring' remarks are not just insults to I ...Read More >
Hyderabad: The BJP's OBC morcha president Dr K. Laxman said the caste census undertaken by the Telangana government is full of loopholes. He characterised it as incomplete, unscientific and not rooted in reality. Addressing the media, he said, "If Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was serious about social justice, he should have made a law and tried to implement it. This is hypocrisy of the party on the OBCs. The percentage of BCs has come down and it should be seen as a measure meant to suppress the BCs. It reflects the Congress party's mentality. They used words like Hindu BCs and Muslim BCs whi ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], May 21 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) trainee officer Puja Khedkar, accused of forging her documents to obtain eligibility for the 2022 Union Public Service Commission test. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma asked Khedkar to cooperate in the probe. Also Read | Security Scare in Kolkata: Police Launch Probe After Drone-Like Objects Spotted Over Sky, Centre Seeks Report From West Bengal Govt. During the hearing, the bench said, "What is the grave crime she has committed? ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the caste census will greatly benefit the indigenous Muslim community living in both the Brahmaputra and Barak Valley in the state. The Centre on Wednesday announced that India's 16th Census with caste enumeration will be carried out in 2027. The indigenous Muslim communities of Assam have been demanding for a long time, a caste-based census to assert their distinct socio-cultural identities, the chief minister said on the sidelines of the World Environment Day programme here. ''The proposed caste enumerati ...Read More >
CHENNAI: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss urged the central government to postpone the delimitation of Lok Sabha constituencies across the country based on population by 25 years. In a statement, Anbumani said that the central government has announced that a caste based population census will be started from March 1, 2027. "PMK has been demanding the government to conduct the census before the end of 2025 to end controversies in delimitation and to safeguard social justice. The announcement has caused confusion, " he said. He added that the stand of PMK is to conduct a delimitation exercise b ...Read More >
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 12 (PTI) Tensions flared in the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday as BJP MLAs barged into Speaker U T Khader's chamber, expressing strong objections to his handling of the proceedings. The confrontation came amidst heated debates over the recent police lathi charge on Panchamasali Lingayat protesters, with the ruling Congress and opposition BJP trading accusations. The issue arose when Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, himself a leader of the Panchamasali Lingayat community, criticized the decision of previous BJP government to scrap the 4 per cent Muslim reservati ...Read More >
Patna (Bihar) [India], December 15 (ANI): Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lallan) Singh on Sunday accused the Congress of insulting the Constitution since Independence and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken about this in his address to the Lok Sabha. Speaking to mediapersons, Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said, "The Congress party has disrespected the Constitution since Independence and PM Modi showed them the mirror in Lok Sabha." On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress of constantly disrespecting the Constitution. Responding to the two-day discussion in Lok Sabh ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) The first 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Circuit Train Tour' has received overwhelming response as all the seats have been booked ahead of the scheduled departure on June 9, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited said on Friday. In a release, IRCTC, a 'Navratna' PSU under the railway ministry, said all 710 seats have been booked in 11 coaches. These comprise 480 in the Economy (Sleeper) category, 190 in Comfort (3AC) and 40 in Superior (2AC), indicating strong interest across travel classes, it added. IRCTC in collaboration with Maharashtra government ...Read More >
Patna (Bihar) [India] June 6 (ANI): Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended the 'Samvidhan Sabha' in Rajgir, Nalanda, on Friday. Addressing the gathering, Gandhi emphasised the need for a caste census and criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on the issue. He questioned PM Modi's claim of being an OBC while asserting that the BJP denies the existence of caste in India, emphasising the need for a genuine caste census. 'Narendra Modi used to say in every speech, I am OBC. Then, on the caste census, they say that there is no caste in India. If there is ...Read More >
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has sharply criticized the disqualification of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari, alleging the BJP government selectively targets opposition leaders. The remarks came after Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana declared Ansari's Mau seat vacant following his hate speech conviction. "Only socialist leaders face membership cancellations," Yadav stated during a Lucknow press conference, noting that ruling party members routinely make inflammatory statements without consequence. He suggested judicial appointments are being made to in ...Read More >
Kottayam (Kerala), Dec 12 (PTI) The historic struggle for equality that took place in Vaikom a century ago, popularly known as the Vaikom Satyagraha, was not a movement confined to Kerala but marked the starting point for various other struggles for social justice, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Thursday. In his address at Vaikom in this district after inaugurating the renovated Thanthai Periyar Memorial and Periyar Library, Stalin said that while impressive strides have been made in areas of social justice and economy in 100 years, a lot more has to be achieved. Stalin inaugur ...Read More >
Kochi, Feb 3 (PTI) The opposition Congress-led UDF on Monday intensified its criticism of Union Ministers George Kurian and Suresh Gopi over their recent controversial statements, calling their remarks "immature" and accusing BJP leaders like them of having contempt for Kerala. Addressing reporters here, the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, strongly criticised the "backward" remark made by Kurian, the Minister of State for Minorities and Fisheries, on Union Budget day, and stated that Kerala has only sought the funds it rightfully deserves from the centre. Taking a ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Feb 4 (UNI) BRS Working President and MLA K T Rama Rao (KTR) criticised the Congress government, stating that the people of Telangana have lost faith in its administration. Speaking during the debate on the caste survey report in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, KTR expressed disappointment, saying that many had expected historic announcements following the special Assembly session and Cabinet meeting. However, he claimed that the report lacked new insights and merely reiterated information previously shared by Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy. Referring to the Kamareddy declaration ...Read More >
Mumbai: The University of Mumbai (MU) on Wednesday announced a revised schedule for pre-admission online registration for undergraduate admissions for the academic year 2025-2026. This decision comes after three merit lists were already published under the original schedule and is aimed at giving an opportunity to students who failed to complete their registration in time. Students will now be able to register online for admission between 6 and 10 June 2025 through the university's official website at https://mu.ac.in/admission. The university has clarified that applications submitted during ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Rajgir/Gayaji (Bihar), Jun 6 (PTI) Rejecting outright the 50 per cent cap on caste-based reservations, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday vowed that "the barrier will be broken" in whichever part of the country his party came to power. The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha made the promise in Bihar, the state which was a hotbed of the Mandal agitation in the 1990s, and where polls to the assembly are likely in a few months. "I wonder where did this idea of a 50 per cent cap come from? The population of the deprived sections is close to 90 per cent," said the former Congress president ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Jun 6 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday said BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao should face an inquiry by the judicial commission on the Kaleshwaram project instead of attacking the Congress government. Addressing a public meeting after attending various development programmes in Yadadri-Bhuvanagri district, he referred to the judicial panel summoning KCR and the BRS criticising the state government on the matter. The judicial commission is probing the alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram project built during the BRS regime. "He (KCR) is getting restles ...Read More >
Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to inaugurate multiple rail projects, including the world's highest Chenab Rail Bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge, and the Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express, as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link. These railway projects directly connect Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of the country. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is an all-weather railway corridor designed to provide seamless connectivity to the region through the rail network. During his visit, PM Modi reviewed the Chenab bridge, world's highest ra ...Read More >
Mumbai, Dec 17 (PTI) Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday launched a veiled attack on party president Ajit Pawar over his exclusion from the new council of ministers, claiming Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was in favour of his induction in the cabinet. He said Ajit Pawar, the NCP president, makes decisions for the party like Fadnavis for the BJP and Eknath Shinde for the Shiv Sena. Amid speculation over his "Jahan nahi chaina, wahan nahi rehna" remark a day before, Bhujbal said he would speak on Wednesday after discussing with NCP workers and people from the Yeola cons ...Read More >
New Delhi: Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination, has moved the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma is scheduled to hear the plea on January 15. Khedkar has challenged the December 23 2024 Delhi High Court order which refused to grant her anticipatory bail. The high court said a strong prima facie case was made out against Khedkar and an investigation was required to unearth the "larger conspiracy" to manipulate the system ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday decided to grant anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination. The matter was heard by a bench consisting of justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma. "What is the grave crime she has committed? She is not a drug lord or a terrorist. She has not committed 302 (murder). She is not an NDPS offender", said the bench. "You should have a system or software. You complete the investigation. She has lost everything and will not ge ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 23 (PTI) The GST Council is likely to meet soon to discuss rate simplification and rationalisation and the future of compensation cess, according to a source. "There are three or four different aspects relating to making GST simpler. We will take up the issue of compensation cess, rate rationalisation and simplification," the source said. The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister and comprising state counterparts, in its meeting in December last year, did not take up the GoM reports on rate rationalisation and rate reduction in health and life insurance. The two GoMs ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah has made it clear on several occasions that in the delimitation exercise, concerns of the southern states will be taken care of and discussed with all concerned at appropriate time. A spokesperson of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said this on Thursday, a day after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed concern over the Census-linked delimitation exercise. "The Honourable Home Minister has made it clear on several occasions that in the delimitation exercise, concerns of southern states will be taken care of and discussed with a ...Read More >
Rajgir, June 06 (UNI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed his doubt over the intention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the caste census, saying he would not allow emerge true picture of the prevailing scenario on social dynamics in the country. Gandhi, while addressing a conference organised on the theme of "save the constitution ", said that Prime Minister Modi was not sincere and his intention was not clear on the caste census, as he had promised to do it in the country. Initially, he was not at all prepared for the caste census at the national level, but under his continue ...Read More >